Most passenger automobiles are equipped with spray shields in the form of what are called "fenders" for preventing surface materials, such as mud, pebbles, water and the like from being thrown upwardly, laterally, and backwardly by rotating wheels of the vehicle. Most of truck-type vehicles, however, such as dual and tandem wheel tractors, are not always so equipped. Since these vehicles are not always provided by the manufacturers with fender structures, road material thrown off by the rotating wheels of the same results in a visually impenetrable spray into the area alongside of the truck, such spray making it dangerous and almost impossible for a following driver to see around and in front of the truck and thus to pass the same. In addition, the rotating wheels throw off road material onto the truck itself, thereby dirtying the vehicle and possibly causing damage to the same. In order to eliminate these driving hazards and to meet basic safety requirements, which may be statutorily imposed, it is necessary for operators to independently provide protective fenders for their vehicles.
To satisfy the above-identified demand for "after market" quarter fenders, numerous companies have manufactured such fenders and assemblies for mounting the same to the vehicle chassis. For example, quarter fenders that have been available are illustrated in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,148,373 to Cline and 4,377,294, Lockwood, et al issued Apr. 10, 1979 and Mar. 22, 1983, respectively. The fenders disclosed by these references are mounted to the vehicle frame through a rod rigidly secured to and positioned along a transverse axis of the same. The fenders generally comprise an arcuately curved panel, which may be formed with longitudinally extending side flanges. In addition, a seat may be formed integral with or rigidly secured to a top side of the panel and positioned along a central transverse axis of the same. The fender also includes a mounting tube rigidly secured to and seated within the panel seat, slidably engaging the mounting rod and having a longitudinally extending slot. At least one clamp circumscribing the tube, in the region of the slot, compresses the tube into tight engagement with the rod to securely mount the fender to the frame. In order to provide the necessary stability and rigidity to the fender under normal operating conditions of the vehicle, it has been necessary to position the seat, and the mounting tube rigidly secured therein, transversely across the majority of the full width of the fender.
Since the market for "after market" quarter fenders has become very competitive, the aesthetic appearance, as well as the quality of construction, of the fenders, has become very important. Thus, it is desirable to construct a quarter fender (1) with the mounting tube extending coextensively with a relatively small portion of the width of the fender and (2) having elements which give optimal stability along longitudinal, transverse and diagonal axes of the fender, but which are hidden from view and mounted to the vehicle.